The mailing includes a cover letter and MAJOR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF THE CONGRESSIONAL SANCTIONS LEGISLATION. The mailing reports the overwhelming bi-partisan vote of 308-77 by the House of Representatives to pass the Senate-approved version of selective sanctions against South Africa. The Senate vote on this bill was 84-14. Senate action followed the June 18 House approval of a comprehensive economic sanctions that included a trade embargo and total disinvestment of U.S. companies. Because of resistance from Senate leadership and the limited legislative time before the election recess, a House/Senate Conference Committee was not convened. The President has 10 legislative days to either...
The mailing includes a cover letter and MAJOR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF THE CONGRESSIONAL SANCTIONS LEGISLATION. The mailing reports the overwhelming bi-partisan vote of 308-77 by the House of Representatives to pass the Senate-approved version of selective sanctions against South Africa. The Senate vote on this bill was 84-14. Senate action followed the June 18 House approval of a comprehensive economic sanctions that included a trade embargo and total disinvestment of U.S. companies. Because of resistance from Senate leadership and the limited legislative time before the election recess, a House/Senate Conference Committee was not convened. The President has 10 legislative days to either veto or sign the measure. President Reagan continues to threaten a veto; however, there are sufficient votes in Congress for an override. We must renew our efforts to support passage of stronger legislation in the next session of Congress. The bill contains serious loopholes but also includes some important sanctions against South Africa. (See "Strengths and Weaknesses'' attached.) Loopholes in the legislation would allow short-term trade credits, rescheduling of existing loans, sales on open accounts, reinvestment of profits, and an exemption from all of the sanctions for "Black-owned businesses." Among the strengths of the legislation are strong trade restrictions on millions of dollars in imports of South African and Namibian coal, uranium, textiles and other key items. Approval of even a limited sanctions bill at this critical moment has significant implications; passage of selective sanctions places the U.S. Congress in league with increasing state, local, university divestment and other anti-apartheid action. The mailing mentions the Commonwealth, the Non-Aligned Nations, the European Economic Community (EEC), Senator Richard Lugar, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Republicans, Senator Claiborne Pell, Jesse Helms, preemption, the D'Amato-Moynihan amendment, anti-apartheid procurement regulations, coal, steel, textiles, uranium, agricultural products, commodities produced and marketed by South African government controlled or owned companies (parastatals), illegally exploiting Namibian natural resources, the sugar quota, the landing of South African airlines in the U.S., South African arms, munitions, military vehicles, cooperation between U.S. agencies and South African armed forces, the US/South Africa Income Tax Treaty, preventing U.S. corporations from deducting SA taxes from their income, selective purchasing laws, public sector loans, public sector investment, the African National Congress (ANC), the Freedom Charter, a "terrorist" organization, good-faith negotiations, a non-racial democracy, violence, and liberation movements.
